Men with hair loss should be offered therapy to cope with the trauma

Balding men should be offered counselling to help with the trauma of hair loss, experts have said.

Researchers reviewed 41 global studies, involving 7,995 people, which examined the most common form of hair loss, androgenetic alopecia (AGA).

Also known as pattern hair loss, it affects about 53 per cent of men aged 40 to 49 and up to 90 per cent in their lifetime.

It is largely genetic and features a receding hairline and thinning scalp.

Balding men should be offered counselling to help with the trauma of hair loss, experts have said

People with AGA typically reported a lower health-related quality of life and more feelings of embarrassment, shame, worry and frustration than those with a full head of hair.

But there was no link with depression, according to the review published in the journal JAMA Dermatology.

Study leader Professor Ching-Chi Chi, from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan, said stigma was partly to blame.

‘Patients with this disease may need psychological and psychosocial support,’ he said.

Dr Kerry Montgomery, at Alopecia UK, said: ‘More psychological support is needed for people with AGA, and indeed all types of hair loss.’

Dr Montgomery added: ‘At Alopecia UK we hear from lots of people who are experiencing emotional distress as a result of hair loss.

‘Whilst the study finds no significant association with androgenetic alopecia and depression, emotions such as worry, embarrassment, shame and frustration are reported and significant.

‘We often hear from people that these self-conscious emotions are particularly problematic.

‘This is an important paper which sheds light on the experiences of people with AGA.

‘We hope this helps clinicians to understand that their objective assessment does not always reflect the distress that someone experiences.’